there are all kinds of “interesting” Reiki systems out there to say the least.

One concern for me arose with distance Reiki attunements – and we are talking about seminars that are supposed to teach you how to use it and prepare you for the enhanced energy flow in your system that goes hand in hand with immense spiritual growth – not Reiki treatments which can have a similar effect on you but not quite as powerful as becoming a Reiki channel. These two are completely different pairs of shoes. What concerns me about them is that I am not really sure if they work and how. If somebody reads this who has an abundance of knowledge about it feel free to contact me. What worries me about them is that if I were you I would never be sure if I am a Reiki practitioner after such a distance attunement or not. How do you know who sits on the “other” side of the computer, the phone or however else your communication works with the so-called Reiki Master/Teacher.

Another concern of mine are Reiki seminar weekends where you are taught Reiki I, Reiki II and the Master degree in a few days. In my heart I feel that Reiki was never intended to be taught that way - for numerous reasons. The most important of all if you ever experienced an attunement and the way your body gets used and adjusts to the new energy in its system you will know that you should never rush to the next degree until you are really physically and emotionally ready. There is a reason to wait for a while in between Reiki I and Reiki II – not even to mention the time period between Reiki II and the Master degree. You have to “grow into” the Reiki vibration. I don’t necessarily think that there has to be a given time frame but I definitely believe that you should practice a lot first before you should move on to the next Reiki degree. And then it is up to you, your heart and intuition and your Reiki teacher’s intuition that should be the base to decide if you are ready.

The third concern of mine are people who think just because they read Reiki books they are from now on Reiki practitioners and even worse – Reiki Teachers. That you can openly see the Reiki symbols printed in books nowadays although they were supposed to be kept secret for a reason doesn’t really help that cause either. The way I was taught Reiki there is no way around finding yourself a Reiki Teacher to learn everything there is to learn about Reiki and to receive the attunements. In my humble opinion Reiki is one of the healing systems that you cannot learn out of books at all. You can learn a lot out of Reiki books after you became a Reiki practitioner – before it only is informative, nothing else.

If you ever read or learned otherwise about the Reiki legend you will know that Mikao Usui had to study and work really hard for years and meditate and fast for 21 days on top of a mountain to receive the gift of Reiki. Only until he was considered worthy by the universe he received his attunement and was allowed to practice it. And he passed it on in a very responsible way – considering everyone’s level of spiritual growth at the point where he met him or her. And I am sure it took him a while to refine the way of passing on Reiki in a spiritually appropriate way.

One problem of our time is that everybody wants everything catered to him or her without any effort at all. In our fast paced environment there is no room to grow anymore. But we have to take time sometimes – because the really important things cannot be rushed. That is definitely a cosmic rule.

Now you probably ask yourself: “How do I figure out who is a legitimate Reiki Teacher?” Ask around; ask the person that you experienced Reiki with first. “Who did you go to to learn Reiki?” Follow your heart and your intuition because these 2 led you to your Reiki experience with a Reiki person in the first place. Reiki has its way to introduce itself to you. Don’t be afraid to ask the Teacher you consider questions. If he/she is a real teacher all your questions will be answered.

Another important thing to consider is following. DO NOT GO FOR A REIKI SEMINAR with someone just because they offer it to you for free or next to nothing. It shows a lot about their attitude towards Reiki, how much they value this healing system. It happened to me on numerous occasions already that people considered learning Reiki from somebody else who offered it for next to nothing and then came to me for Reiki treatments to pick my brain for further information they were lacking from the other Reiki Teacher. In the end these people paid double.

There has to be an energy exchange of some kind. Money is nothing else but materialized energy that gives everything you exchange it with its worth. Be aware of that! I personally always found a way so far to work with people around their financial issues when it comes to Reiki seminars but that is something that has to be decided at the time you are ready to go for Reiki.

Just because we are in the healing profession doesn’t mean we don’t have to eat.

It doesn’t mean that we always have to ask for money in exchange for our healing services but: We cannot eat without having money. Therefore, I think it is not only important but also necessary and courteous to pay your Teacher something since we live in a monetary world where you cannot exist without having money!

Following is a quote from “http://reiki.7gen.com/books/living-reiki.html”:

“For example, the story of how Usui learned the value of charging money for giving Reiki treatment is still lodged in my mind. The story goes that Usui had given healings to some people, healed them of their illnesses allowing them to stop being beggars living on the street. Then later he found them again living on the street begging for a living. He learned that when giving a healing, that the recipient must see value in being healed in order to stay healed, and that one effective way to convey that value is to charge money for the healing session. Whether that episode actually happened in life, it is an interesting story that gives much grist for thought. “

Love & Light,

Sonja Poeltl-Cernik
Reiki Master/Teacher
(Traditional Usui System)